Fine Craft Shows Charleston, Inc., in Charleston, SC, is pleased to announce the results of awards judging at the “37th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Fine Crafts Shows”. The two weekend shows were held May 27-29 and June 3-5, 2016, as part of the annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival. Approximately 100 fine crafts artists from around the US participated in the two weekend shows, which were held at Wragg Square in downtown Charleston.

The judge for the May 27-29 show was Regina Semko, a fiber artist currently working in Origami. She was a founding member of Charleston Crafts Cooperative and Coordinator and then Fund-raiser for the Piccolo Spoleto Crafts Shows from 1993-2012. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, who attended along with his wife Sandy Techlenburg, presented awards to artists.

May 27-29 Best in Show winner Jack Pine (center) with Charleston, Mayor John Tecklenburg and Mrs. Tecklenburg

Award winners were:

Best in Show went to Jack Pine of Columbus, OH, for a work in glass
1st Place was given to Lori Kammerad of Lowell, MI, for a work in metal
2nd Place went to Doug Richard of Satsuma, FL, for a work in wood
3rd Place was awarded to Lucy Clark of Cedar Mountain, NC, for a work in clay

Honorable Mentions:
Michael Kane of Asheville, NC, for a work in fiber
Nancy Michael-Susanneck of Missouri City, TX, for a mixed media work

Emerging Artist Grant:
Ivo Kerssemakers of Murrells Inlet, SC, for a work of photography

Purchase Awards:
Sabra Richards of Worton, MD, for a mixed media work
Ed Bryan of Columbia, SC, for a work in clay
Nathaniel Lesch-Huie of Jonas Ridge, NC, for a work in wood
Charles and Cindy Cecil of High Point, NC, for jewelry
David Ross of Bakersville, NC, for a work in clay

The judge for the June 3-5 show was Michael W. Haga, Associate Dean at the College of Charleston School of the Arts. Haga is a member of the Advisory Board for Fine Craft Shows Charleston in addition to serving as a slide juror and show juror in previous years. Scott Watson, Director of the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, presented awards to the artists.

June 1-3 Best in Show winner Obayana Ajanaku with Scott Watson , Director of the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs

Prizes were awarded to:

Best in Show was given to Obayana Ajanaku of Decatur, GA, for a work of jewelry
1st Place went to Tom Homman of Comer, GA, for a work in clay
2nd Place was awarded to Tammy Rudd of Holly Hill, SC, for a work of jewelry
3rd Place went to Joseph Falzone of Asheville, NC, for a work in glass

Honorable Mention:
Lucy Clark of Cedar Mt, NC, for a work in clay
Susan Marling of Acworth, GA, for a work in fiber

Emerging Artist Grant:
Jessica Ballard and Jacob Kent of N. Charleston, SC, for a work in wood

Slide Juror’s Choice Award:
Marlow Gates of Leicester, NC, for brooms

Exhibitor’s Choice Award:
Charles Pinckney of Athens, GA, for a work of jewelry

Purchase Awards:
John Donahue (2 Awards) of Charleston, SC, for a mixed media work
Anne John of Charleston, SC, for a work in clay
Julie Merrill of Asheville, NC, for a work of jewelry

Fine Craft Shows Charleston congratulates the winners. We’d also like to extend our thanks to the public, artists, volunteers, staff and professional partners that make these events successful. Please see our website at (finecraftshowscharleston.com) for more information about the shows, participating artists and photos of prize winners.

Sculpture artists from across the nation applied to the “11th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition”, displayed at the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park and presented as a component of the 2016 North Charleston Arts Fest. Organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique, eleven month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought provoking, extraordinary sculptures, as well as compete for up to $16,250 in honorariums and awards.

Twelve out of 54 submissions were pre-juried into the exhibition by the juror, James Davis, ASLA, founder/president of Sculpture in the Landscape, a NC based firm. Once installed at the exhibition site, Davis then made his selections for Best of Show, Outstanding Merit, and Honorable Mentions. After determining the award winners, he offered the following juror’s statement:

“What’s it supposed to be?” the elderly couple inquired as I was pondering my decisions for the awards. There was no signage yet so not even a title for them to go with. I told them the name of the piece, shared what it meant to me and suggested maybe they decide what it means to them. After a short pause, “Hmmmmmm…” was the reply.

Hmmmmmm, indeed! That’s what is so wonderful about art. Even if you don’t understand it, it can still make you feel Hmmmmmm! I always think it’s better to know the message the artist is revealing, but missing that, if we just pause for a moment, we will know what it means to us! So the attraction might be the message or it could be the creativity or the craftsmanship or the design or the aesthetics or the complexity (or simplicity) or the attention to detail. Sometimes it’s all of these!!! As juror, that’s what I hope to find.

My choices of sculptures to take part in the exhibit were an effort to select pieces that presented a range of materials, colors, textures and emotions. My choices for the awards lean towards my personal notions of creativity, craftsmanship and attention to detail.

I hope all the visitors to this wonderful park will take some time to stop and reflect upon each sculpture. It may not be for the same reason but if they pause, I think they’ll find something to make them say Hmmmmmm!!”

Best of Show, Truce by Adam Walls (credit: Ryan Johnson)

The twelve sculptures selected for exhibition are by twelve artists from three states. Congratulations to the winners of the 2016/17 National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition:

Sculpture sites are located throughout North Charleston Riverfront Park, located at 1001 Everglades Avenue on the former Charleston Naval Base. The park is set on the banks of the beautiful Cooper River. In addition to the sculptures, visitors may enjoy ten acres of walking paths, a performance pavilion, picnic shelter, a fishing pier and boardwalk, an oversized sandbox, and children’s play fountain. Park is open daily during daylight hours. Admission and parking are free.

The “2016/17 National Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition” will be on display through March 22, 2017.

For more information or to be added to the application mailing list for the 2017/18 competition, please call the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843/740-5854 or e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org). For more information on the sculpture exhibition, visit (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com).

Art MoB in Hendersonville, NC, hosted their first annual “Miniature Juried Art Show” with the opening reception on Thursday, May 5, 2016. About 100+ patrons filled the Art MoB Studios and Marketplace to enjoy the artists and their miniature artwork. Art MoB juried in 21 artists each with the opportunity to submit two pieces all less than 8 x 8 inches in size. This resulted in 40 pieces for the first annual miniature show. Patrons of the show had the wonderful opportunity to vote for Best in Show and Honorable Mention.

The Best in Show award went to pastel artist, Alec Hall, for his piece “Rose-Breasted Grosbeak” and the Honorable Mention award went to artist, RuthEllen Boerman for her painting, “Tree of Life”.

The Miniature Show will hang in the gallery through Sunday, June 12 and all of the artwork from the show is for sale. To keep the fun still going Art MoB will give out another Honorable Mention award at the end of the show so make sure to come see the show and vote for favorite mini piece of art before June 12! Your vote counts at Art MoB!

Art MoB Studios & Marketplace currently features over 90 local artists and craftsmen in 5,000 square feet of creative space in downtown Hendersonville, NC. Art Mob is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 1 to 4:30pm.

Fine artists and amateur and professional photographers from across the state were invited to participate in the “2016 Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions”, organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and presented April 29-May 6 as a component of the 2016 North Charleston Arts Fest. A total of 226 fine art entries were accepted in the categories of oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing/pastel, and 2D mixed media. Cash awards totaling $3,175 were made at the sole discretion of the judge, Amiri Gueka Farris. Farris is a contemporary mixed media artist and who currently teaches Foundation Studies at the Savannah College of Art & Design.

A total of 107 entries were accepted in photography, which were split into the divisions of Professional/Advanced and Amateur and categorized as color, monochrome, or photo illustration. Cash awards totaling $1,925 were made at the sole discretion of the judge, Michelle Van Parys. Michelle has been the recipient of the Virginia Museum Fellowship and the South Carolina Arts Commission Fellowship and is currently a professor at the College of Charleston in the Studio Art Department.

In addition to awards given by the judges, three art pieces were selected for City of North Charleston Purchase Awards. These pieces will be added to the City of North Charleston’s Permanent Public Art Collection, which is on display within North Charleston City Hall throughout most of the year.

Congratulations to the winners:

Heather Thornton with her work “Dichotomy”

Best in Show – Fine Art:
“Dichotomy” (acrylic) by Heather Thornton (Charleston, SC)

For information about additional exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 843/740-5854, e-mail (culturalarts@northcharleston.org), or the Arts & Culture section of (northcharleston.org). For details on the North Charleston Arts Fest, visit (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com).

Fine craft artists and artisans from across South Carolina were invited to participate in the 15th Annual “South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition”, the state’s only juried fine craft competition and exhibition. Organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, the show was presented April 29-May 6 as a component of the 2016 North Charleston Arts Fest in North Charleston, SC.

Following an extensive pre-jury process, 36 applicants were asked to participate and 82 entries were submitted in the categories of clay, fiber, metal, wood, and 3D mixed media. Cash awards totaling $5,000 were made at the sole discretion of the juror, internationally exhibiting contemporary silversmith Kaminer Haislip. After making her selections, Haislip stated, “The wide range of media, quality of craftsmanship, and originality of concept was so impressive that I found it very challenging to judge. After considering all aspects of each entry very carefully, I arrived at the awards I felt each piece deserved. For the SC State Museum Traveling Exhibition, the award winning artworks were immediately chosen. The remaining selections were made in order to create a cohesive and balanced show with a variety of media. I feel this traveling exhibition will represent the exceptional, contemporary, craft happening in South Carolina today.”

After awarding ribbons, Haislip also selected pieces from the show to assemble a “South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Traveling Exhibition”, which will tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2016/2017 Traveling Exhibitions Program. The Traveling Exhibitions Program gives galleries, museums, and art centers across South Carolina the opportunity to request the exhibit to tour their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists.

In addition to awards given by the juror, two pieces were selected for City of North Charleston Purchase Awards. These pieces will be added to the City of North Charleston’s Permanent Public Art Collection, which is on display within North Charleston City Hall throughout most of the year.

For more information about the “South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition” and other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843/740-5854, e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org), or visit (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com). Organizations interested in hosting the traveling exhibition should contact the South Carolina State Museum Traveling Exhibits Program by calling 803/737-4159 or e-mail to (tep@scmuseum.org).

The Society of Bluffton Artists in Bluffton, SC, is presenting the “22nd Annual Judged Show”, Apr. 4-30, 2016, at the SOBA Gallery.

The Society of Bluffton Artists held its awards presentation and reception on Friday Apr. 8, with a full house of artists and admirers. This year’s judge, Christina Chastain, is a multifaceted artist and proactive leader in arts education from Lancaster, SC. The awards, presented in seven categories, were as follows:

Dare County Arts Council in Nags Head, NC, is pleased to congratulate this year’s winners of the “38th Annual Frank Stick Memorial Art Show”. Judge Scott Eagle of East Carolina University awarded Best in Show to Travis Fowler for his painting “Felt Like Right.” He presented Excellence Awards to Mary Edwards for her watercolor “Mamie Saint Clair House,” Linda Browning for her digital photography composite “Aspen Monarchs,” Kathryn Osgood for her metals piece ”Smitten.” Mr. Eagle also selected Carolina Coto’s painting “Caro in Wonderland” for an Honorable Mention Award.

Judge Scott Eagle is pictured with his selection for Best in Show by Travis Fowler. Photo by Fay Davis Edwards.

Special awards were sponsored by The Beach Book, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary. This is the 20th year they have partnered with Dare County Arts Council to select artwork for the cover of their publications. An Excellence Award was presented to Eileen Tullner for her watercolor “Dinner Time,” which will be featured on the cover their publication “The Beach Book”. Honorable Mention Awards were presented by the Beach Book staff to Yvonne May, for her watercolor “Out for a Swim,” which will be featured on the cover of “The Explorer”, and to Elaine Simoneau for her acrylic painting “Sanctuary,” which will be featured on the cover of their new restaurant guide publication.

Artist Eileen Tullner with her Excellence Award winning painting that will be featured on the cover of “The Beach Book”. Photo by John Tullner.

The People’s Choice Award was presented to Laine Edwards for her paint/spray paint on glass entitled “Starman.” Additionally, a mixed media piece by Kyle Beckner was chosen from the Dare County School’s art exhibit as an honorary entry in this year’s “Frank Stick Memorial Art Show”. Kyle is a senior at First Flight High School and student in Jenna Saunders’ Art 4 class.

The “Annual Frank Stick Memorial Art Show” will be on display at Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery in Nags Head through Feb. 27, 2016. Now in its 38th year, the show includes a wide variety of local fine art and fine craft ranging from conceptual to realistic. This is the longest running visual art exhibition in Dare County and features original work, including sculpture, painting, drawing, fiber, photography and mixed media.

A special thank you is extended to our sponsors – Southern Insurance Agency, The Beach Book, The Blue Point, Cameron House Inn, Outer Banks Ace Hardware, SAGA Construction and Development, and Village Realty. Thanks also to Glenn & Pat Eure of Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery who graciously donate the use of their space of this event.

The “Frank Stick Memorial Art Show” was started in 1978 by Dare County Arts Council to honor Mr. Stick, a renowned local artist and environmental crusader. His illustrations and paintings became popular in the early part of the 20th Century. The show is open to the public through Feb. 27, 2016, from 10am – 5pm Monday through Saturday. The gallery is closed on Sundays. Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery is located at 210 E. Driftwood Street in Nags Head.

Dare County Arts Councils is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to promoting the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment, and opportunity. Please visit our website for more information at (www.darearts.org) or call 252/473-5558.

Barton College in Wilson, NC, will welcome students from across the state to celebrate their creativity at the annual Scholastic Art Awards ceremony scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. This marks the 38th year that Barton College has served as host and regional sponsor for the National Scholastic Art Awards for the Eastern/Central North Carolina Region. The featured speaker for the awards ceremony is Dr. Betty McCain, former Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.

Following a reception for Gold Key and Silver Key awardees and their families in Wilson Gymnasium on the Barton campus at 1:30pm, on Sunday, there will be an awards presentation for the award recipients beginning at 2pm. The ceremony is open to student Gold Key and Silver Key recipients, their families, and North Carolina arts teachers and principals. The Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition will be available for public viewing in the Barton Art Galleries beginning Jan. 31, 2016.

Dr. McCain is one of the state’s most popular speakers. She is known for her quick wit, decisive leadership, and Southern charm. She embodies the enthusiasm and energy that fuels North Carolina’s cultural network. In addition to her duties as Secretary, she has served the state through membership with many cultural and philanthropic organizations including, but not limited to, the Board of Directors of the Agency for Public Telecommunications, the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, the Development Committee of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Board of Visitors, the Information Resources Management Commission, the North Carolina Center for Public Television, and Wilson’s Whirligig Festival. She has also served as a member of the UNC Board of Governors, the North Carolina Art Society, the North Carolina Symphony Society, the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association, the North Carolina Preservation Association, Inc., Imagination Station in Wilson, the Arts Council of Wilson, and the Barton College Friends of Hackney Library.

Among the many awards Dr. McCain has received during her professional career are the Distinguished Service Medal from the General Alumni Association of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993, the 1995 Carpathian Award given by NC. Equity for significant contributions to women and families of North Carolina, the Morrison Award presented by the Roanoke Island Historical Association in 1996, the 1996 Distinguished Women of North Carolina Award for Public Service, and the 1996 Most Powerful Women in the Triangle Award presented by Triangle Business Journal. Dr. McCain received the Doctor of Letters Degree, honoris causa, by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1997 and the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998. She was presented with the Doctor of Laws Degree, honoris causa, from Barton College in 1999. Dr. McCain was the 2009 recipient of the North Carolina Award, the highest civilian award bestowed by the state for public service. She also was a 2010 inductee into the North Carolina Women’s Hall of Fame. And, the trustees of the North Carolina Humanities Council honored Dr. McCain as the recipient of the John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities in 2012.

Entries from all 50 states are submitted for competition in the nationally renowned Scholastic Art Awards program. The program, created for middle and high school students, is designed to encourage student achievement, to recognize and applaud our fine art teachers and to emphasize the importance of the visual arts in the school curriculum. Barton College is proud to host the Eastern/Central Regional District in North Carolina, representing 62 counties from the piedmont to the coast.

Dr. Gary Daynes, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Barton College, and Susan Fecho, professor and dean of the School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts at Barton, will bring brief remarks during the program. Jodi Aker of the Scholastic Art Awards Regional Teacher Advisory Committee will present special awards to student recipients.

The Scholastic Art Awards entries for the Eastern/Central North Carolina Region are reviewed by professional art jurors at Barton College during the first week of January. This year, there were 2,897 entries and an additional 99 portfolios from approximately 147 schools presented for judging. Students submitted artwork in a variety of categories, including: architecture, comic art, ceramics & glass, digital art, product design, drawing, fashion, film & animation, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, video games, and art portfolio. Jurors are charged to select entries that they consider especially worthy of recognition.

The Eastern/Central North Carolina Region has an advisory committee composed of nine art teachers. This year, the exhibition selection jury was composed of college professors, retired public school art teachers, and professional artists.

Three hundred and thirty-four artworks were selected as Gold Key awards for the exhibition as well as 11 Gold Key portfolios. Digital images of these finalist art works will be sent to New York City for judging against other regional winners for the national exhibition held in June at Parsons School of Design and the Pratt Institute. Also sent to New York will be five American Vision Award (Best of Show) artwork nominees, including: Sadie Cook, University of North Carolina School of the Arts [three artworks], Spence Witmer, South Stokes High School, and Christian Jegbadai, Dudley High School.

There were 419 Silver Key Awards and 10 Silver Key portfolios chosen from the entries submitted. These artworks will be displayed at the Barton Art Galleries.

From the Gold Key artworks, the jury also selected works for additional regional awards to be presented at the ceremony including The Wilson Times Award to Akina Obata, West Carteret High School; the North Carolina Governor’s Student Excellence Award to Meryl Winicov, Mount Tabor High School; the Emerging Vision Award to Mindy Ji, Champion Learning Academy; the Jurors’ Choice Portfolio Award to Sadie Cook, University of North Carolina School of the Arts; the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park Recycled Materials Award to Dalton Ferguson, South Stokes High School; the Edward C. Brown Sculpture Award, which honors the long-time director of the Barton Scholastics program, to Myah Wyse, University of North Carolina School of the Arts.